Treatment of oil/water emulsion by polyethylene glycol ultrafiltration membrane

Abstract

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) membranes with different molecular mass cut-offs were used to treat oil/water emulsion, and the effects of experimental conditions including pressure, temperature and different operating modes on permeate flux and removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD_Cr) were studied. The results show that the permeate flux of ultrafiltration membrane is influenced by pressure and temperature; practical pressure is chosen to be 0.3 – 0.7 MPa for the PEG with molecular mass cut-offs of 8 000 and 0.7 – 1.0 MPa for the PEG with molecular mass cut-offs of 2 500; and the practical temperature is chosen to be 25 – 32 °C. Different operating modes of ultrafiltration also influence the permeate flux and removal rate of COD_Cr. The ultrafiltration membrane of intermittent cross-flow operating mode is easier to be influenced by blocky polarization and contamination than that of sequential cross-flow operating mode. Removal rate of COD_Cr in intermittent cross-flow and sequential cross-flow condition can be maintained at about 93%.

Keywords

oil/ water emulsion / ultrafiltration membrane / permeate flux / chemical oxygen demand

References

[1] ShengH L, WenJ L. Treatment of waste oil/water emulsion by ultrafiltration and ion exchange[J]. Water Research, 1998, 32(9): 2680-2688

[2] LuShan-zhong, QianKun-min. New method to treat waste emulsion[J]. Water and Wastewater Engineering, 2000, 26(7): 39-45

[3] LuBin, LuXiao-qian. Engineering application of treating technology of oily emulsified wastewater[J]. Environmental Engineering, 2001, 19(3): 12-15(in Chinese)

[4] KunikaneS, MagaraY, ItohM, et al.. A comparative study on the application of membrane technology to the public water supply[J]. Journal of Membrane Science, 1995, 102(5): 149-154

[5] WiesnerM R, ChelamS. The promise of the membrane technology[J]. Environ Sci Technol, 1999, 33(17): 360-366

[6] CortalezziM M, RoseJ, WellsG F, et al.. Ceramic membranes derived from ferroxane nanoparticles: a new route for the fabrication of iron oxide ultrafiltration membranes[J]. Journal of Membrane Science, 2003, 227(2): 207-217

[7] BansalI K. Concentration of oily and latex wastewater using ultrafiltration inorganic membranes[J]. Ind Water Engineering, 1976, 13(10): 6-15

[8] BodzekM, KonieczngK. The use of ultrafiltration membranes made of various polymers in the treatment of oil-emulsion wastewaters[J]. Waste Management, 1992, 12: 75-86

[9] LinS H, LanW J. Waste oil/water emulsion treatment by membrane processes[J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 1998, 59: 189-199

[10] ZhangGuo-jun, LiuZhong-zhou. Development of the mechanism and the controlled technique of ultrafiltration membrane fouling [J]. Membrane Science and Technology, 2001, 21(4): 39-46(in Chinese)

[11] KimK J, FaneA G, FellC J D, et al.. Fouling mechanisms of membranes during protein ultrafiltration[J]. Journal of Membrane Science, 1992, 68(1): 79-91

[12] RibeiroT H, RubioJ, SmithR W. A dried hydrophobic acquaphyte as an oil filter for oil/water emulsions[J]. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin, 2003, 8(5): 483-489

[13] WangXiao-chang, WangJin. Kinetic study of membrane fouling under cross-flow ultrafiltration operation[J]. Environmental Chemistry, 2002, 21(6): 552-558(in Chinese)

[14] CrozesG F, JacangeloJ G, AnselmeC, et al.. Impact of ultrafiltration operation conditions on membrane irreversible fouling[J]. Journal of Membrane Science, 1997, 124(1): 63-76

[15] WuGuang-xia, ZhangDong-hua, QianYan-jun. The fouling and cleaning of ultrafiltration membrane module[J]. Environmental Chemistry, 2002, 21(4): 389-3428(in Chinese)